The Darkest of Sorrows
by FangirlBethany
Summary: A mysterious force is terrorising a small isolated community and only one person can save them.
1. Chapter 1

They had come during the night, tearing children from their beds. Their cold metal eyes stared into the souls of their victims. Their cold metal voice, a sting in the ear, as they force them from their houses. Their faces were a silver void of emotion. They showed no compassion. No remorse. One young boy tried to run in fear, but the red glow from their wrists caught him fast. He fell to the ground. Lifeless. They stomped in unison as they fled into the darkness.

The isolated village lay hidden in a vast valley surrounded by a sinister forest. Alone. Miles away from any civilisation. Their only company each other. No one could leave the village as all who dared to journey in to the gloom of the forest never returned. The forest was a deep and dangerous labyrinth. Paths changed constantly, winding in circles. Colossal trees tower over all, swaying in an icy wind, blocking out all light. Shadows terrorise the mind, leading it astray. Darkness fills the hearts of all who enter, sacrificing their souls to the shadows. They stand, defenceless, as their life force is stolen in their final breath.

At first only a few were taken but the numbers increased as more were taken. Taken by the silver shadows… The body been found at the edge of the town. An empty vessel. Limbs replaced by metal. A once gentle face now a metallic shell. They were experimenting. Learning.

Weeks after the initial disappearances, disfigured corpses began appearing throughout the rural community. The carcass of a young girl was found – her heart ripped from her chest – replaced by wires. The towns folk rested the corpses of their children on the frost bitten ground. Their bodies mangled. Their faces bare of emotion. They filled with fear and pain. A fear that would soon be gone. Along with all emotions.


	2. Chapter 2

Months had passed since the fear first appeared. No one had recovered from the pain. The suffering. A deafening silence filled the air, as everything turned cold. A rough breeze carrying the metallic hum of death. A shadowy figure appeared from nowhere. His stare was deadly as he waltzed through the empty streets. His dark brown eyes watched everything. He wore a lengthy, light brown coat and a darker suit that matched. His auburn brown hair was jagged and sharp.

The outsider sensed a hundred curious eyes on him as he explored the desolate village. The air filled with the sound of whispers. The figure turned to find that a cautious crowd of townsfolk had congregated behind him. The whispers stopped. His face turned grim. A quivering voice came from the group. "Wh… Who are you?" The stranger turned towards the voice, a faint smile growing on his face. "I'm the Doctor," he said as if rehearsed. Another voice came from the crowd. "He's a doctor. He can help them." They erupted with sounds of agreement. The2Doctor looked onto the crowd in confusion. "Sorry, help who?" he asked. Multiple voices cried out at once, "Our children." The Doctor's face turned stern. "Can you show me please?" A small cluster broke off from the group and headed to the north of the village. The Doctor followed.

They gathered by the edge of the forest where the bodies were first found. Now they laid side by side on the cold cobblestone. Crimson blood filled the cracks around them. The Doctor looked on in horror at the mutilated corpses of children and shed a tear. He stood in silence, unable to speak, contemplating what to say before turning to the crowd. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I can't help them." Cries of pain filled the air. He turned to the mangled corpses, knowing he would have to face an evil that had followed him throughout time and space.


	3. Chapter 3

They watched from the shadows. Observing. Learning. They watched his movements with precision, waiting to strike. Growing in the darkness, gaining strength continuously. The sense the pain, sorrow and suffering in the air. They fear it.

The Doctor bent over the disfigured remains of a young boy. He felt the cold metal that replaced the child's arm. The metal was rusted. Old. A large scar in the metal left wires at the mercy of the elements. Crimson blood surged through bare wires, once surging with life, now a stagnant dark fluid filled the once human arm. Each corpse was different, missing different limbs and body parts. He took a deep breath and moved on to the next body. He looked down on the remains of an older boy, with the left side of his face overcome with metal. Frayed wires are forced out of his neck, stained in blood. A broad cable escapes through his ear running down his pale, bloodless back, connecting to his spine. The Doctor looked over each corpse, documenting every gash or laceration. He assembled his notes and met with the members of the village.

They gathered in the square near an antique church, in the centre of the village. Around half the inhabitants of the rustic village met with the Doctor. He stood tall in front of the crowd, watching their faces, their eyes were red with tears. He contemplated what to say, running ideas through his head. He took a deep breath and sighed. He was ready. "When did the bodies first appear?" he inquired. An elderly man stepped forward. "I found the first one face down on the grass around a fortnight ago sir. That was about a month after the first disappearances." The Doctor's curiosity intensified. "What disappearances?" He asked quickly. The same man spoke for the group again. "A large group of our children were taken from us a few months ago. Only a few have been found near the village, we fear that we have lost them forever. Can you help us?" A tear grew from the corner of his eye. This Doctor knew what to do. He stepped forward, a faint smile on his face. "I will try my hardest and do my best to save your children and I promise that I will find out what happened to them." The crowd looked at each other as they filled with hope.


	4. Chapter 4

The Doctor stood facing the treeline, watching a single path disappear into the shadows. He held a torch firmly in his hand, to scare away the darkness. He waited till sunset before venturing onto the path, hoping to sneak up on the mysterious force plagueing the village.

The path was overgrown and barely visiable in the darkness. It would twist and turn in all directions, splitting off into a maze of dead ends. moonlight flickered on the woodland floor, whilst the shadows danced to the mystic music of the chilling breeze. As he ventured deeper into the forest the light of the village began to gradually fade into darkness.

All concept of time was eventually lost until he heard a faint hum of machinery in the distance. Following the hum, he found himself at the edge of a large clearing. The moon shone through the gap in the trees and brightened the frosty ground. Before him stood a large metalic ship - damaged and rusted. It was buried deep into dirt, hiding the true size of the ship. Two heavy doors creaked open and from them emerged an old enemy...


	5. Chapter 5

Cybermen!

The rusted soldier marched fowafoward from the doors. oil leaked from a fracture in its metal exoskeleton. It walked with heavy, jagged movements. It's face was severely damaged, bare wires sparked from a large gap in its metal neck. It's black expression showed no emotion, it just stared forward as it marched, unaware that it eas being watched.

The Doctor's gaze followed the metal man's movements. It had turned away from the entrance of its ruined craft and moved towards the edge of the clearing, following a trail of trampled plants. Beside the trail lay a rugged, make-shift pipe, on the cold woodland ground. Leaks showed a liquid oozing out, unrecognisable in the dim light of the forest. Where was it coming from? The cybermen had moved out of site. The Doctor waited.

Within minutes it had returned. It appeared as though nothing had changed. Something was wrong. It returned to the entrance and disappeared inside the metal hull of the ship. Curious, the Doctor moved towards the pipe. He remained in the shadows of the trees, to avoid detection if the cyberman was to return. As he edged closer, the ground around him became almost bog like. He glanced down to see his cream converse caked in a think layer of sludgy mud. Despite this annoying problem, he continued forwards. He reached the pipe to discover it transporting water from somewhere deep in the forest. This confused him imensly. He followed it back to its source.

The Doctor pondered over why these cybernetic creatures would need such large quantities of water. They had no need of food or water as they didn't eat or drink. Were they using it as fuel? But what for? How were the missing children involved? Non of it made any sense. He had battled the cybermen navy times before, but he didn't understand what they could be planning. He needed to act fast. Even damaged he knew better than to underestimate their capabilities. It would only take one cyberman to cause unspeakable damage, not just to history...


End file.
